Monite ‘Epeleli 26, 2021
hire laborers for his vineyard
unga ha ni‘ihi ke ngāue ‘i he‘ene ngoue vaine
(v. 1) For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.
(v. 1) HE
ko e Pule‘anga ‘o Hēvani ‘oku tatau mo ha tangata‘eiki, ‘a ia na‘a ne ‘alu atu
hengihengi pē ke unga ha ni‘ihi ke ngāue ‘i he‘ene ngoue vaine.
*Commentary: The Reformation Study Bible*
20:1 vineyard. Israel is symbolized as God's vineyard in the OT (Ps. 80:8-13; Is.3:14; 5:1-7) and in Jesus' later parables (Matt. 21:28, 33). This symbolism and the apparent inequity of the workers' compensation show that the story is not about workers' rights in this world but about how mercy transcends mere justice in the kingdom of heaven.
GOD IS . . . (KO E ‘OTUA, ‘OKU . . )
4 GOD IS INFINITE
Application
The doctrine of God's infinity gives us great joy because it assures us that our sins are forgiven, due to the infinite worth of Christ's sacrifice. Additionally, we can rejoice that we, as finite creatures, can never comprehend the infinite. Far from being a problem, this doctrine is a delight, for we shall one day be given glorious resurrected bodies. As Paul says, “Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven" (1 Cor. 15:49).
In this exalted state, we will be able to
perfectly apply our minds to the knowledge of God and Christ by means of the
Holy Spirit illuminating our spiritual and intellectual faculties. We shall
spend an eternity knowing God, because he is the infinite God. Yet even for all
eternity, we shall never fully comprehend God. Still, this impossibility
remains our delight insofar as we have so much to look forward to in what
awaits us. By knowing God, I do not mean merely coming to a greater awareness
of who he is but also
coming to a greater awareness of all that he has done and will continue to do for us, including our understanding of his attributes displayed in the new creation. We all, for example, shall be true scientists of the highest order.
But we should always remember our established place as creatures. We serve an infinite God, and our praises in this life come so very short of what is due to him. But he accepts our praises, despite our weaknesses. The Infinite One stoops and stoops and stoops in order to raise us to places that are undeserved. Our union with the infinite Son of God puts us in the most privileged place possible for a human being-far more privileged than Adam's place in the garden. We belong to an infinite God who will satisfy us forever because he alone is in the position to pour out everlasting blessings on his creatures. As Matthew Mead puts it,
Alas! it is an infinite righteousness that must
satisfy for our sins, for it is an infinite God that is offended by us. If ever
your sin be pardoned, it is infinite mercy that must pardon it; if ever you be reconciled
to God, it is infinite merit must do it; if ever your heart be changed, and
your soul renewed, it is infinite power must effect it, and if ever your soul
escape hell, and be saved at last, it is infinite grace must save it."
I thank God for His infinite mercy that I am forgiven beyond what I deserve. He still allows me to walk the earth despite my transgressions. God pardoning me from my sin is something that I will forever be grateful for. Regardless of what we do on this earth there’s still only one way to Heaven and that’s through Jesus alone 💙💯🙏🏼
ReplyDeleteBeing apart of God's vineyard is already "GOLD'. Knowing that Christ extends this gift of "FREE & UNMERITED FAVOR " to sinners like me "Infinitely or because Christ Infinitely loves me" Is priceless. Mark 20:11-16 spoke the loudest to me right now. Often times I fall into prideful thinking such as " @ least I am not as bad as so & so..." or God calls me to serve somewhere in His vineyard and I serve with such ugly egotistic motives such as ill be here earlier and work longer and harder hours. All to leave me destitute empty and baring no fruit whatsoever . I realize "hala eku ma'u mo 'eku 'amanaki koe 'uhi koe 'afungi, or my kita." Its not until I burnout I realize where I thought I was 1st. I missed the mark completely and ended up last. I am thankful God is an infinitely sovereign God because Lord knows I need it. Lord help me to never forget that it is only by your infinite grace that I made it to see another day.
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